Unexpected Wings and Fire
by Eyramena Askranyir
Summary: AU- She stood there, next to Gandalf, on the frozen surface of the river and could not tear her eyes away from the limp bodies a few meters away. It felt like time had frozen. The Durins were dead. But what if Bilbo would get the chance to save them? Even if it meant for her to live the life of a cursed, able to take the appearance of a creature most people feared and hated?
1. Chapter 1- A glimpse of Hope

It was cold.

Even though the winter only started, the chilling air and the wind were biting into the hobbit´s face. But Bilbo did not feel it. After her crying stopped, she no longer thought or felt.

She felt nothing at all.

She stood there, next to Gandalf, on the frozen surface of the river and could not tear her eyes away from the limp body a few meters away from her. It felt like time had frozen.

There he laid, the mighty King under the Mountain, blood still leaking from the deep wound in his chest, even though his heart stopped beating minutes ago. _Thorin._

Her dear friend, even more than that, now dead and gone forever.

This just could not be. It had to be a bad dream, some nightmare of her mind. After all that happened- this shall be the end?

Bilbo watched in dull silence as the rest of the company slowly gathered around their fallen leader and as the lifeless bodies of his nephews were laid down next to him.

Than she left Gandalf´s side and joined her friends, and stood with them around the three Durins.

But no one said a word. Not one of them dared to break the oppressive trance which laid upon the group, because this would have meant to face the inevitable: _The Durins were dead._

Bilbo didn´t know how long they stood like that- she had no more feeling for the time´s passing, as they just looked down at the three figures surrounded by glittering ice in the sunlight, but than she heard the approaching of horses in the distance.

It were Bart of Laketown and King Thranduil of Mirkwood, followed by a few of their men. They stooped their horses on the edge of the ruins, dismounted and came closer to the gathered remains of the company, while their men stayed away.

But they did not say any words, as if to show with their quietness a last offer of respect towards the fallen warriors.

So the silence lingered on.

 _Bilbo..._

Bilbo winced.

 _Bilbo Baggins.._

A cold shudder ran down her spine. There was that it again, the voice. It was back.

The cold whispering which haunted her in her darkest hours.

Slowly she reached into her waist pocket and felt the cold metal against her fingertips.

 _Bilbo Baggins.._ No! Not now!, she thought in panic as the voice just wouldn´t quiet down.

 _The stone.. use the stone.._

The stone? What stone? Bilbo felt helpless and vulnerable against the voice invading her mind. Why did it speak up in such a moment?

 _The Arkenstone.. it can help, it can restore what was lost._

Restore what was lost?

 _It has the power to return what should not have gone lost.._

Was it saying.. No way!

Even though Bilbo´s mind was racing, she could only focuse on this one thought. She still did not know what was going on, but the despair deep within her made her holding on to every sparkle of hope she could get. Could this really be possible?

 _Take it! Take it and use it!_

But how? It was only a jewel right? It´s not like you could just ask it to help? And even if- Bilbo had no idea where the stone wa- wait! Bart!

Bilbo jerked her head up and looked into the direction of the human. He stood a few meters away from her, looking down on the fallen king with a face showing compassion and regret.

Something emerged in Bilbo´s mind, a feeling she never felt before, it was a mix of frustration, anger, despair and anxiety. It felt like a flame which started to grow and captured all her other thoughts and feelings, until only one was left which seemed to consume her mind.

Without another consider broke Bilbo the silence: "Bart!"

All heads turned to her, surprise and confusion written over them by the sudden broken silence. Bart looked startled at the hobbit for a moment before he answered: "Yes, Miss Halfling?"

"Do you still have the Arkenstone?", now all heads turned towards the human. No one had thought of the stone since the battle began and especially the dwarves waited for an answer of the human leader.

Bart himself seemed just to remember the stone, and reached into the inner pockets of his coat.

As he pulled out again, he held the white jewel in his hand, softly glowing in the light of the setting sun.

For a heartbeat everyone was quiet, but than shouts arose from the dwarves: "Give it back!"

"You have no right!" "It is ours!" "You shouldn´t have it!" Suddenly everyone was shouting, either taking part in the discussions or trying to calm people down and Bilbo sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose. Didn´t they had this all before?

Aroused by the sudden yelling and argumentation around her, Bilbo felt more and more patientless, the annoyance was more than she could bear right now. Gathering all her power, her own voice grew louder than any other:

" _For the sake of the Valar! You all just SHUT UP FOR ONCE!"_

Her voice echoed through the surrounding mountains as deadly silence followed. All eyes were on her, looking shocked and taken back, as well as embarrassed.

But Bildo did not have the time nor the nerves to taste the satisfaction. "Give me the Arkenstone. Now.", she said with a stern voice while walking over to Bart still holding the Arkenstone in his palm.

Balin was the first to find his voice again: "Bilbo, what are you doing?", he asked as Bilbo walked past him. "No time to explain, Balin. Please give me the Arkenstone, Mister Bart.", Bilbo said as she stood before the much taller human.

Bart looked down on the hobbit. He did not know what the little creature wanted with the stone, did she just want to take it? Surely not, the dwarves wouldn´t just let her wander off with their most precious treasure and she knew it.

But why did she wanted it else? He looked into her face and saw the despair in it. But her eyes held also something else- it was determination. She had a plan and Bart remembered this look on her face when she betrayed her friends by giving him the stone in order to save them.

He laid the gleaming stone into her much smaller extended hand and watched just like everyone else as she kneeled down in front of the fallen dwarf king and the princes.

Bilbo didn´t exactly know what to do, but she had a presentiment, so she shifted the Arkenstone into her right hand and took into the other her ring. Both felt unnatural cold, even the ring felt more strange in her hand than ever before.

Bilbo hesitated for a second, than she took a deep breath and pulled her hands together.

She registered a small clink as the stone and the ring touched, than everything went black.

In the next moment, Bilbo was surrounded by entirely darkness. The air still was cold, but this cold seemed to sink deeper into herskin with every second passing like it would slowly kill her .

The silence stretched on, unbreakable. Bilbo felt paralyzed, not able to breath properly.

She waited for something to happen. But it was like the world just stopped. She was alone in this darkness, not knowing where she exactly was, or how to turn back if she wanted.

She felt fear growing in her heart. What is happening now? Was she going to stay here forever? Has she been tricked?

For what felt like an endlessness time, Bilbo waited, called out for anyone, but getting no answer and waited again.


	2. Chapter 2- Voices in the Dark

Something was changeing.

Bilbo wasn´t sure if it was the air around her or her own feelings, but something was definitely changeing.

The hobbit pricks up her ears for sounds, silently cursing her eyes for not being able to see anything in the blackness around her. But still the quietness stayed and Bilbo felt a shiver running down her spine, it was the same feeling she felt in Mirkwood, the feeling of being _watched_.

Instinctively she grabbed for her belt, where her loyal sword Sting should be fixed, but only grabbed thin air and brushed skin. _Naked skin_.

Bilbo stopped moving, gulped once and looked down on herself- her _bare_ self! OK, things were getting crazy now, where the hell were her clothes?!

For a moment Bilbo forgot her situation and whirled around, looking for something to cover herself with, but of course there was nothing. As she groaned desperately, when she suddenly picked up a distant rumbleling . Not a rumbleling, it was a _growl._

Bilbo paused.

It was distant, like an echo all around her, but to her greatest horror it reminded her of _him._ Memories flowed her mind, of a red winged lizard destroying everything in his path and threading her and her friend's lives once again. Memories she clearly would be haunted from for decades.

The growl grew and this time it sounded closer and _fiercer_.

Slowly it dawned to Bilbo that this growling could only be the dragon´s, there was no mistaking for her. But, Bilbo thought, she saw him die! She _was there_ when Smaug´s dead body sinked to the dark bottom of the lake, to never return.

The growling turned into hissing, aggressive and threatening and Bilbo flinched. She was defenseless and _naked,_ most likely alone with her worst nightmare while not even knowing _where_ she was!

Bilbo had read many books about adventures, sometimes the hero would go to different worlds _,_ exploring, but that was only fiction, made up by people who never set a food out of there door and this here was reality… right?

Bilbo hesitated, after everything she had faced, the creatures, the places and all the _magic,_ the idea of her being alone with the dragon, or something resembling him, in some king of different world seemed dreadful possible. So this was another world? Or whatever would you call it?

Bilbo almost snorted, this was ridiculous, what would her fellow hobbits at home say? Well, Lobelia would certainly see another reason to throw insults at Bilbo and to question her dignity.

Bilbo´s thoughts were interrupted by an ear-tearing _ROAW!_ , making her gasp in shock and cover her ears. It sounded so loud, so _close_ , like the dragon would be right next to her.

Another roar followed and another, roar! Roar! ROAR! It just wouldn´t stop! They shook Bilbo to the core until she couldn´t stand it anymore and crunched into a ball, eyes firmly shut and hands covering her ears. "Stop!", she cried, "Stop it!".

But the roars didn´t break off, and got, when possible, even more shaking.

Just when Bilbo thought her eardrums would burst, the noise suddenly weakened and fainted back into an echo, until it was completely gone.

But Bilbo knew it wasn´t over jet. _He_ was still there. She could feel his presence and the feeling of being watched returned. The new silence stretched and teared at Bilbo´s nerves. Irritation raised out of her fear and grew with her temper into anger.

 _Just what in Yvanna´s name was this all about?!_ Bilbo had faced Goblins, Trolls, Orcs, insufferable dwarves and even and goddamn _dragon_ before! - And now she shall cower and weep?

Oh no! Not with Bilbo Baggins!

She took a deep breath and straightened herself. With the strongest voice she could muster she said: "I am Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, burglar and member of the Company of Thorin Oakenshild and I demand to know where I am, who you are and what do you want from me!"

"You are nowhere..", hissed a dark voice, vibrating through the blackness and sended another wave of shivers down Bilbo´s spine, "and I am _The One."_

The One? Bilbo frowned, she couldn´t remember ever have meet someone called like this.

"Don´t you recognize me?", the voice continued, "I have talked to you before, in your darkest hours. I have been with you on your travel. You found me and brought me back to daylight, where I can spread my powers again. I saved you and your friend´s lives more than once. You would be nothing without me."

For a moment, Bilbo said nothing. _Of course!_ Who else would it be? Afterall, who talked her into using the Arkenstone and brought her into this situation? Here, to this place, - wherever _here_ is. Her ring. Her _(evil?) magical_ ring.

"Indeed, it was me who brought you here, but was this not what you wanted?", reminded her the voice.

 _It can read my thoughts?,_ asked Bilbo herself frightened. "Who do you think am I?", interrupted the voice," I could hear your thoughts even before you touched me for the first time, I heard their wickedness and felt your lack of heart in them. You are an evil person Bilbo Baggins."

"Wha- no, I´m not!", defended Bilbo herself.

"Yes, you are. Do you remember all the times you thought about just leaving the dwarves behind, alone with their fate? Just going back to your comfortable home? Do you see how selfish you are?"

Bilbo felt cold.

"What is about the reason why you went with them on this journey? It was not because of compassion, no, you never felt that. Maybe you felt pity for them, but you went with them, because you thought it would be a great adventure, like one of those you´ve read in your books. You hoped to escape your own boring and dull life and witness something more. The fate of these dwarves was only your concern when your own life was endangered and they should protect you."

"No! You lie!", Bilbo was getting furious. How dared it to speak for her like it would know her? It had no idea!

Bilbo thought back at the journey. Truth was, in the first weeks she really thought more often at home than anything else, regretting to have left home in the first place.

But as she got to know her companions more and more, she didn´t feel homesick anymore and started to feel connected with them. Each one of them had their own strengths and they all had a good heart , and eventually, also they started to get warm with Bilbo, -even Dwarlin.

Shortly before the end of the journey, they all were like one big family. There were days when Bilbo thought of the end of their journey, what would happen after it and sometimes she even thought of staying with her new friends, never leaving and growing old in the kingdom of Erebor.

Especially the Durins grew dear for Bilbo. Kili and Fili were like nephews for her and Thorin.. well, Thorin was for her more than she would dare to admit. There were even times when she thought he would feel the same, but then came the dragon-sickness, the war and his _death.._

Bilbo head snapped up. "Wait, back on the river, you said there was a chance to bring them back!"

"And there is", purred the voice " _I_ can save them; you only need to agree to the conditions."

So there was really a chance to save them? To bring them back? Bilbo felt anxiety rising in her heart.

"What do you need of me? How can I help?" Under normal conditions Bilbo would have considered everything longer and would have been more cautioned, but not now, not with the chance of seeing all her three dearest persons alive and sound again.

"I will need you or rather your _being."_ sneered the voice. Bilbo hesitated. "Me? My _being_? What for?"

"In order to bring your friends´ lives back _and_ heal them, it requires much power, much _magic._ Much more than even Mithrandir could muster. But I do not possess as much power as I once did, so I will need additional magical power."

"And where do you get that from? I´m not even the slightest magical!"

"With dragon magic."

Bilbo blinked. "Dragon magic? But the only dragon around was Smaug and he is already dead since several days."

"But a little amount remained."

"How? Shouldn´t it all be gone with Smaug?"

" The _stone_."

The stone? Did it mean the Arkenstone?

"Yes, I do.", read the voice Bilbo´s thoughts again. "The _Arkenstone_ , like the dwarves call it, is an magical gem, rare and wanted, even though no one alive could ever understand it´s real value. When the dragon made the mountain its realm, it also kept the stone near, since it was the most precious gem in the dragon´s whole hoard. Over decades, a magical artifact like the Arkenstone consumes others´ magic. The dragon slept many years with the stone directly next to it. "

"And so the stone consumed some of Smaug´s magic.", finished Bilbo.

"Not _some. Much._ And that is of my use.", agreed the voice.

"So you will use the dragon magic within the Arkenstone and save my friends?", deciphered Bilbo.

"I will not use the dargon´s magic _itself_. Dragon magic is a savage magic, not close to my powers anyhow. But I can use it to _gain_ more power for myself. And then save your friends."

"So what do you need me to do?", Bilbo was getting urgent to just get over with this, she could fell an headache rising and just wanted to finally see her friends again.

"I will set the dragon magic within the Arkenstone free, and use the fast rise of magic in the air to concentrate my own powers on a higher level. Than I can save your friends. But I will need you agreement."

Bilbo hesitated, she couldn´t believe the ring would do anything for her without an own use.. there had to be a trick.

"You are not stupid hobbit. Yes, like I mentioned before, there are conditions. Once the dragon magic was set free and has fulfilled its use, it will have to return to a vessel. A living vessel."

"A vessel? Like a new body? And you want me to be that?" Bilbo asked with a queasy feeling. Something in the back of her mind told her that this was such a _bad_ idea.

"You want to save your friends, do you not? More than anything else in the world? Because they give you the feeling of home, the feeling of _belonging_?" whispered the voice straight in her ears.

 _Yes,_ she wanted to.

"Do you want to feel their comfort again, their open acceptance towards you? Do you not miss them?"

 _Yes,_ she did, she didmiss them _already so much._

" Did you not plan to stay with them? With _him?_ "

 _Oh_ how she wanted to _,_ how she wanted to stay with _him_ , being close to him, support him and give him her love..

"You only need to accept the conditions on your own free will. You only need to be the vessel. Than all those dreams of yours can became reality, they can _be real_.", lured the voice.

They could? It was really possible? Bilbo remembered all her day dreams, of her life with her friends in the new developing kingdom of Erebor. Everybody happy, doing what they dreamed of, and Thorin- _Thorin_ finally being the real king he always deserved to be.

The voice in the back of Bilbo´s mind kept warning her, but it was already fading into the background and Bilbo´s sense was clouded by hope and promises.

"Do you want this all? You only need to agree. Do you agree?", demanded the voice.

"Yes, _yes_ I do!" cried Bilbo, desperate to see this future.

" **So be it."**


	3. Chapter 3- Become the Beast

Ori trusted Bilbo. She was like family, and had become a great companion for him.

True, at the start the young dwarf was warily of this strange person, who was a creature he before only heard stories about. The hobbit had no connection to any of the dwarves or their history, but still traveled with them in order to reclaim their home.

Why would she do that? For the reward?

Ori didn´t know much about hobbits- just like every other dwarf- but hobbits were known for their appreciation of their comfy homes and good meals. Was this hobbit different? Or were all hobbits different from what was known about them?

Ori´s curiosity maked him observing the hobbit on their journey and he kept track of her behavior and her attitudes when he wasn´t too busy running or hiding (or fighting, of course!), but he always was too shy to just ask her about her reasons.

Not that this would have been needed- shortly after their journey started, the hobbit noticed Ori´s journal in which he recorded every important detail of their travel, and asked him about it.

Soon they developed constant conversations – to the annoyance of most of the company, for example did they talk about their cultures or their different lifestyles.

Ori learned that indeed, hobbits fashioned comfortableness and a good amount of rich meals a day, but also that they loved their peace in the Shire and were jealous about it.

That´s why, Bilbo guessed, adventures and those who tend to them were frowned upon in hobbit culture.

It was then, when Ori wondered for another time, why Bilbo decided to join them, 13 dwarves and one wizard she didn´t even know (except for Gandalf, who at least seemed to know _her)_ on a journey that would last _months_ and would be very dangerous for a hobbit. She seemed to be a "respected and honored" hobbit at her home.. why leaving?

Their talking continued. They talked about almost everything, cultures, history, different world views etc. .. Soon they grew friends, especially for a little bit more intelligent talk- Balin left out and Gandalf not to mention (he was too scary to talk to).

And Ori started to guess why Bilbo came along, concluding it by her character and attitude. But definitely sure was he after their escape out of Goblin Town and the hobbit´s speech-

Because, despite of Bilbo´s social status and her comfortable life in Hobbington, was she an adventurer by heart and soul.

The opportunity to finally do what her heart subliminal told her to do already since a long while was too irresistible.

So when a company of 13 dwarves and an old wizard stood at her doorstep and invited her on a great journey across whole Middle-Earth, how could she refuse?

And that´s why Ori trusted Bilbo, because he knew of her reasons and was this way free to see her true self. The hobbit was kind hearted and cared greatly for those who once gained her trust and love.

The young dwarf knew, she only stole the Arkenstone in order to protect them before an unequal battle which would have been their doom. It hurted him to see how Thorin, their strong and proud leader, was too blind (because of the dragon-sickness, assuredly) to understand this and attacked the one he loved (Ori was sure of that, just as obvious Bilbo´s love for Thorin was).

But he also knew, that even after being attacked, insulted and banished, Bilbo wouldn´t stop trying to protect them. And that´s what she did.

He still trusted her when she took the Arkenstone from the human leader and kneeled to the right side of their king´s dead body, next to his nephews.

He also trusted her when she pulled her magical ring out of her pocket and drew the stone and the ring together.

Ori doesn´t remember much of the next few minutes.

It took him a while to come by. As far as he remembered, something like a wave of air broke from the touching items and threw them all of their feed.

He lay on the chilly surface of the river, feeling dizzy and disorientated for some time- just like the others he guessed.

As the world slowly stopped to spin, he shakily scrambled to his knees and then on his feed. Out of the corners of his eyes, he could see the others, more or less fast, doing the same; slight groans could be heard were people found conscious again and argued their bodies to stand up.

He looked around- no one seemed to be hurt, only Balin was slightly out of breath.

"Bilbo!", boomed Gandalf´s voice over the groaning and people hushed. Everyone fixed their gazes on the hobbit, which was still kneeling on the same spot like nothing happened, the bodies of the Durins unmoved next to her.

She didn´t answer; she didn´t show any acknowledgement of Gandalf´s call at all. But as Ori watched closer he could see her body shaking.

Bilbo felt a blazing cold right where her heart should be, it felt _wrong_ , like it was threatening to overtake her whole body, if her concentration lacked for only a moment.

 _Ough.._ it hurt. Where did the pain come from? Did she get another wound in the battle unnoticed?

She opened her eyes- just to close them right away again, blinded by bright white light, until her eyes got used to it. The ground beneath her was frozen and white- _Ice perhaps..?_ She noticed two figures laying to her left and one to her right.

Who were they? Her vision was still blurry … but feeling slowly returned to her fingers and Bilbo noticed that she was clenching something massive and smooth in her palms. Carefully, she opened them and looked at the items in her hands. A few crystals and a golden ring..

Her heart missed a few beats.

The darkness, the voice and her choice.. Memories flowed back to her; of an unexpected journey, of adventures and exordinary places. Of 13 dwarves- no! Of her 13 friends, who were almost like a family. Of Erebor and a red dragon, and of a terrifying battle where she more than once feared for her and her friends´ lives.

She remembered her panic when she couldn´t find Kili or Fili and than Thorin- _Thorin!_

Bilbo´s attention flashed to the figure she was kneeling next to. The King under the Mountain lay still like he was sleeping; his skin wasn´t deadly pale anymore and the wound in his chest looked even through the blood soaked clothes much smaller and not fatal anymore.

He was softly breathing.

Bilbo´s own breath hitched, her gaze fixed on the princes next to their uncle. The same.

 _They´re alive!_

The hobbit almost cried out in pure relief, but her name was called: "Bilbo?", it was Bofur´s voice. She turned around towards the rest of her friends with long missed happiness and exclaimed: "They live! They´re alive!"

Everyone- even human and elf- starred at her as if she would have grown a second head, surprise and disbelief in their faces. Some even looked at Bilbo with pity, thinking the lost made her loose her mind.

Except of Gandalf.

The wizard strode forward, knelt down on the other side of the (dead?) king and watched him carefully. After a few moments he stretched out his hand and held it above the dwarf´s chest- just like after their first encounter with Azog- Bilbo noted.

Thorin´s eyes snapped open and he took a deep breath, Kili and Fili followed suit seconds later.

Commotion broke out between the rest of the dwarves, who now were surrounding their royals, not believing the miracle until they saw it with their own eyes.

Everyone talked at once; they were glad, relieved, happy and in pure cheer for the return of their king and their princess, pain and wounds of the battle for a moment forgotten.

"They are truly descendents of Durin the Deathless!", exclaimed Gloin in cheerful pride. "Let me through! Better ´gonna check on them!", demanded Oin as the healer made his way through the laughs and din.

Gandalf stood a bit aside and watched with a small smile his dwarven friends celebrate with a happiness he hadn´t seen for a long long while. Men and elves slowly retreated, and he nodded at Bard and Thranduil who would make their way back down to the now silent battleground. There were still a few orcs scattered in the surrounding hills of Erebor and there were wounded and dead people to be taken care of.

Thorin, Fili and Kili remained laying on the ground, still too weak and dizzy to be truly aware of their surroundings, while Oin started to checked on their vital signs with the help of Ori and asked them questions: "Thorin, do you know where you are? And what happened?" Bilbo, who was still kneeling beside the king watched him carefully.

Asked dwarf took a moment to answer as if he firstly needed to search his memory; his voice was dry and rough: "On.. on the Ravenhill.. there were so many orcs.. Arzog..", his eyes widen "Arzog! Where is he?!", he suddenly growled and tried to sit up. With Bilbo´s help, did Oin hold the furious king down. "He is dead Thorin! You killed him. It´s over and we won!", he calmed.

Realization glittered in Thorin´s eyes. "The fight.. I was wounded.. and Bilbo was by my side … I can not recall anything else afterward."

Now it was Bilbo´s turn to speak: "You died.", she choked as the dwarf turned his piercing blue eyes at her, "You died in my arms.."

Thorin studied her face for a few moments, he just realized that his hobbit has been kneeling by his side the whole while. She looked exhausted, dirty and tired. Scratches and cuts were all over her skin, as well as a already dried wound close to her temple, but she was alive and sound and he could not be more glad.

Behind his eyes he saw the scene again of him laying on the frozen river with a severe injury in his chest and her by his side (like she always seemed to be), and he could remember how darkness slowly embraced him and how everything started to fade..

"Bilbo.. how could I be breathing and talking to you when I remember to have died?", he asked with caution in his voice, starting to doubt his luck.

Also Oin turned his gaze at the hobbit, expecting to get some answers.

At this moment, Bilbo noticed how the cheers and laughs around her had died down and that everyone watched her. _Oh great.. here goes nothing.._

Her mind was racing; how should she explain what actually _happened? -Oh you see I just made a rather unconsidered deal with my magical ring! And boom! You´re alive again! Isn´t that great?_

Yeah.. _that_ sounded sane and convincing.

"I.. uhm, you see, you actually _were_ dead , so it needed some magic to bring you three back.. and there was some of t left in the Arkenstone from Smaug-" "The Arkenstone?", Thorin interrupted. "Yes- yes, it hold just enough magic to do the trick.. but, after the it was released.." She didn´t know how to explain further, because she didn´t even _know_ what consequences are still going to follow. She thought of the white not-shining stone pieces in her hands.

Bilbo suddenly felt really helpless and stupid for not having thought about it before. "I´m sorry! I didn´t know this would happen! I -I just wanted to save you! I-" "Bilbo! Calm down!", soothed Thorin, "What happened?"

The hobbit was anxious, the pieces in her hands were foreshadowing another tragedy. She couldn´t muster any more words.

Silently she opened her palms, giving everyone, but especially the dwarven king, a good look at the broken Arkenstone in her hands. The pieces glittered in the light of the sunset, but it was nothing compared to the shine that once housed in the unbroken stone. The greatest treasure of Erebor was no more, but a few pieces of an gem.

The air was suddenly thick with tension, like shortly before a storm.

No one said a word, no one dared to move.

Bilbo watched the king before her carefully, all too well remembering the last time when something earth-shattering happened, also connected to the cursed stone.

Thorin remained quiet, too quiet. His gaze was fixed on the pieces in her hands, but she could see the storm of thoughts and emotions raging in his eyes. _Oh no!_

The hobbit felt memories of that fateful day; hands wrapping around her neck, squeezing too tight to breath properly, the abyss under her upper body threatening to pull her into her death and these eyes- hate and uncontrollable rage directed at her, so that she couldn´t recognize the king she knew.

Could the situation escalate again? Would it? Bilbo needed to they something fast.

She opened her mouth to speak- but hot pain stabbed her heart.

She cried out and crunched, the stone pieces and the ring falling onto the floor as her hands shoot up to clench her chest and everyone got teared out of their trance.

The hobbit´s thoughts stopped, any focus gone. Faintly she registered people around her moving, calling her by her name, trying to get her attention and to find out what´s wrong with her.

Someone grabbed her by her shoulders- at least she thought so- and opened slightly her eyes. Through the tears blurred vision she could see Thorin´s panicked face, the issue of the broken Arkenstone completely forgotten.

If Bilbo wouldn´t have been burning alive right now, she would have taken this as a hopeful hint that the dragon-sickness was finally defeated for good.

But she was _burning alive_ right now and the sounds around her started to get muffled. Though, she still heard the orders he was barking around: "Oin! Check on her! She must have gotten another injury!"

The healer quickly appeared next to the hobbit and tried to untangle her limbs, which were squeezed tightly around her body, in order to examine her properly. Suddenly it felt like chaos broke out.

The confusion, which before lingered in the air over the group, catalyzed the rest of the dwarves´ to anger , which leaded them to snap at eachother; arguing with heated words about what might be going on.

And as it always was with dwarves, each of them wanted to be right and wouldn´t listen to the other and in the end they would completely forget about the actual situation, only focused on their discussions.

Even the princess, which were only moments ago too tired to even answer simple questions, were now prop up on their elbows and participating loudly , while their uncle as well shared a few heated words here and there with the rest of the group.

Only Oin- who was due to his work as healer used to always stay calm- and Gandalf stayed out.

Gandalf watched the crunched hobbit with knowing wise eyes, suspicious risen within his mind already when the hobbit started to talk about magic. _A hobbit with knowledge about magic?_

He glazed slightly at the golden ring on the frozen ground, laying there forgotten and unsuspected with no one paying any thoughts towards it at the moment. A bad premonition developed in the wizard´s mind, but he would have to deal with this later. Now, he had to pay attention to their burglar, who was still suffering pain from an invisible origin.

The hobbit couldn´t think, she couldn´t breath, she couldn´t even recall her _name._ It was like everything was just burning away, memories, feelings,.. just everything that was _her_.

What was happening to her?

She felt so hot and wedged, like she was in a shell . Ohh.. she needed to get out of it. The fire that before was only burning at her heart was now flowing through every vein and every corner of her body; it consumed her from the inside out.

The people crowding around her weren´t any help- they made here only feeling even more uncomfortable.

The opened her eyes a bit to the light of the sunset and noticed it´s stronger reflection a few feet I front of her; _the abyss, ..her escape._ She didn´t know whyshe needed to escape, but instinct told her so.

If she would have been in her right mind she might would have felt the irony about this.

But for now, her thoughts were only filled with a way of escapeing, promising her freedom from the pain and gratification.

Shakily, she stood, ignoring words that were spoken to her from the healer next to her. Her gaze was fixed on her goal, but out of the corner of her eyes she could see the wizard taken a few steps forward- but not to stop her, instead he put a hand on the extended arm of the healer and and talked a few words of reassuring to him.

After a bit hesitation, the dwarf let go of the hobbit´s arm and watched in horror as she approached the cliff in front of her.

The sun had almost completely set, it was that magical moment when the sun seemed to gather the rest of her strength to sent her last strong rays of light, before she would give in into the inevitable and leave the sky.

The hobbit watched the light and felt it on her skin, but is was only inflaming the burning feeling under the surface.

Suddenly a fire started to burn on her chest, where her heart would be. Not a metaphorical fire, but a _real_ fire.

Time seemed to slow.

The fire slowly spread, but didn´t burn the hobbit´s skin, though its clothes started to turn scorched were the flames touched, and the flames didn´t hurt; they rather felt like a relief.

The hobbit now stood on the edge of the frozen river, under her many feet of air and than the snow-covered ground. She did not feel fear nor doubt, rather excitement.

She didn´t look behind her and she didn´t saw how the dwarves stooped their argumentation and all turned around in pure horror as they realized what was gong on. They tried to rush forward to grab her but it was too late.

The hobbit, who´s shoulders and arms were already covered in flames, spread those like she was going to fly- and went over the edge.

The wind muffled the desperate cries behind her and all she could think about was _freedom_. She gave in into the temptation and let the flames go as they desired to. They consumed her whole body and she could feel it changing- it was like she would burst out of an invisible prison and could finally spread her _wings._

The hobbit was no more to be seen as the fire consumed it completely, cocooning it while it kept falling. The flames grew and formed into something new, something bigger with a tail and wings. Something that was for many a creature from an nightmare.

The hobbit transformed into a _dragon._


	4. Chapter 4- Going Home

The wind rushed over the dragons wings and through its scales. Its skin was golden-orange, shining bright in the last light of the day and its green eyes blinked severely times, seeing the world completely anew.

 _Freedom_. - it thought as it let go an tearing roar of happiness which echoed over the hills and mountains around. On the ground below it could see people screaming and cover. Were they afraid of it?

The air was filled with the scent of blood and death.. _a battleground._ The word just appeared in the dragons mind, but the creature didn´t know its full meaning yet.

Its body seemed to only gain at speed, the longer it floated through the air. But it wanted higher in order to see more and it would have to take turns at some point, if it didn´t wanted to collide with a mountain.

How was it going to do so?

Out of mere instinct, the dragon leaned a tiny bit on its right side, and truly, its body started to take a new direction. When it leaned even more in, the angle of the curve got even smaller.

OK, how to navigate- check!

And what about the height? It wanted up, and so its body took motion. It beat its wings a few times, afraid for the first moments because of the short loose of height but than its floated upward, towards the sky.

Control over height- still a bit shakily- but yes- check!

So what now?

It looked back on the ground below where people still were screaming and searching for cover, yelling each other warnings. It didn´t seemed welcomed there.

There was a great mountain to its left- the biggest by far-and the dragon craned its long neck to have a look.

The mountain seemed familiar, but not welcoming either. When the dragon looked at it, a feeling of mistrust settled in its chest.

The dragons eyes had finished to improve and now it could use them entirely.

It kept circling over the battlefield which spread even over an old town- or rather ruins- which lay in opposite direction of the mountain. Even from high above its sharp sight could see the many details, shapes and colors of the ended fight beneath, like an eagle, only far better.

Dead bodies lay on the white and red ground, some huge and small with primitive clothes and ugly faces, others slim with elegant armours, as well as slim ones with ordinary clothes and smaller, stout ones with other armours.

There were living people who wandered through the masses of dead as they looked for survivors and tended those who were found. There were females and males alike, also cubs, all with fear and resignation in their faces, there clothes dirty and their skins bruised and cut. But the message of the dragon in the sky above was quickly spread even to those who were too focused and shocked on massacre around them hided wherever they could.

But soon the dragon grew tired of the view; there was too much blood and sorrow to witness for its taste. Since it still couldn´t tell where it was from what its eyes saw, it used another of its senses and took a deep breath through its nostrils.

 _There!_ There was a familiar scent within all the smells of metal, blood and sweat. It smelled like the air shortly before a thunderstorm, charged with pure cold power. Blurred pictures of a dark-haired person flew through the dragons mind and it felt belonging.

The golden creature followed the scent with two powerful thrusts of its wings, away from the town and the battlegrounds, towards a cliff with more ruins and a frozen waterfall.

There were people, a small group, standing on the edge and seemed to watch the dragon, there mouths mostly agape and their eyes unbelieving. Did they never before see a dragon? Maybe not, were dragons rare?

With joy for the attention, the creature decided to impress its watchers by diving a little bit under the height of the cliff, taking a strong curve upwards and appear with a sudden gush wind right in front of them and the edge.

They made startled noises and took some steps back while drawing whatever weapons they possessed and the dragon hesitated as it landed just above the cliff´s ledge.

Did it do something wrong?

~o.O.o~

" _What actually happened here? Dwalin! I thought ya´ went with them to protect them!" accused Gloin said dwarf._

" _What? There were damn orcs and goblins everywhere! I was busy crashing their ugly faces!"_

" _Not good enough when those bastards still managed to kill Thorin, Fili AND Kili!"_

" _They can´t have killed them! There alive right now!" interfered Nori._

" _But Oin confirmed their death..." bleeped Ori._

" _Than he made a mistake!"_

" _Don´t ya´dare to question the abilitys of my brother!"_

" _I question every doctor who can´t confirm if someone´s alive or not!"_

 _They turned to the Durins on the ground. "Kili! Did ya´die or not?"_

" _I- uhm.."_

" _Com´on lad, we don´t have the whole day!"_

" _Hey! Don´t talk to him like that! He still needs to recover!" growled Dori just as Fili wanted to help his brother._

" _They´re Durins! They´ll be fine!"_

" _How do you know? Did you ever return from death?"_

" _´course not! Who am I? Durin the Deathless?"_

" _Calm down! We have other problems by now!" recalled Bofur._

But as dwarves are, they naturally wouldn´t stop any time soon. They were only heating up.

Though their bickering stopped as someone called desperately their burglars´ name: "Bilbo!"

They all wiped their heads around and saw how the Hobbit, who was just moments ago crunching on the floor tortured by pain, slowly walked towards the cliff of the frozen river. Ori and Oin stood aside; held back by the gray Wizard.

There was moment of silence, before all of them tried to rush to the Hobbit to stop her, but they were too slow because they blocked eachother´s way and could only watch as the 14th member of their company went over the edge.

Horror settled into their hearts and the Hobbit´s name was screamed from many mouths.

Together with the others, Thorin just managed in time to reach the ledge to watch as she was consumed by flames and suddenly _changed,_ but if it wouldn´t have been shocking enough, Bilbo changed into something quite familiar.

Before the transformation was even finished, a voice gained by experience in the back of Throin´s head screamed at him what this creature was going to be, knowing by only seeing the shape out of flames with a long tail and wings.

 _Dragon!_

Mere meters above the floor the sheath of fire vanished and let go off the winged monster.

It spread its whole body and started to sail away from the frozen water and the ruins of Ravenhill. Suddenly it trowed its head up and let go off an ear-tearing _Roar!_ which send a chill over the company´s spines and woke horrid memories in the older members minds.

For a moment, Thorin was back on the wall of the still blooming Erebor, listening to a roar much alike and painfully knowing it announced their doom.

He could swear he smelled smoke and taste ashes as he watched the great beast testing its new body and taking in its surroundings as it floated over the battlefield to Erebor´s feet.

No one of the dwarves seemed to breath, they were all in shock and fighting a battle for their sanity. None of them wanted to truly believe what was happening right in front of their eyes. It just could not be. A nightmare returned.

Only when the beast turned its head into their direction and its body followed suit, they slowly started to regain awareness. Several took a sharp breaths as the beast´s intention was clear and grabbed for their weapons. Dwalin next to Thorin drew the ax he still had and Thorin himself grabbed for Orcrist on his back, but his hand closed around air and he cursed, guessing it must still be stuck in the dead body of Azog.

The dragon took a dive downwards out of view- only to suddenly reappear in a gush of wind right in front of them, wings spread wide and neck craned.

Instinctively the Company went into battle-mode, taking in fighting positions. Many of Thorin´s companions yelled warnings in Khuzdul and steeled themselves for whatever was going to happen, standing together as the group of warriors they were. They waited for the first blow, for fire or anything else a dragon would do to attack. And waited. But nothing came. It only stood there and looked every single one of them over.

Observing the beast in exchange, Thorin noticed that it looked like a little golden version of Smaug with its scales being illuminated in the last light of sun behind the horizon. Its yellow-green eyes were glowing like the worms once did, it had the same snake-like shape, the same stature that looked like a predator always prepared to strike. The death from the sky.

But something wasn´t right with this image. This wasn´t Smaug. No..

The picture of a red-golden haired Hobbit flashed through Thorin´s head and realization started to dawn upon the king.

This wasn´t Smaug, this was- The dragon´s head snapped up and it roared in fury before it beat its wings and swept over the company´s heads.

The dwarves and the wizard leaped out of the way and found themselves on the ground as they watched scene playing behind them.

~o.O.o~

 _How Dare They?!_

The dragon was observing the group of little people, as a revolting scent hit its nose. It looked up and saw dark figures in the hills around moving towards them. o _rcs_ , its mind remembered.

And those orcs wanted blood. The blood of the small folk to the dragon´s feet.

But they wouldn´t get it.

The dragon felt connected to the group, there was feeling of familiarity and home blooming in its chest as it watched the small men with their funny beards. And this was the dragon´s only anchor in a new and still unknown world, since it couldn´t remember anything before floating over the ground. Those people were the only thing that seemed to make some sense. It wouldn´t loose that.

How dared those filthy orcs to try to take this!

The dragon´s blood boiled and anger crowded within, until it erupted in a roar of deadly promise and the creature leaped over the startled group. With a few beats of its wings and strong trusts of its legs, it quickly covered the distance towards its targets.

The orcs weren´t prepared. They already hesitated as soon as they saw the dragon standing with the dwarves and were too perplexed to realize in time what was going on. Before they could react, they found themselves in the shadow of a mighty and blood seeking creature with death in its purpose.

The dragon didn´t breath fire- it didn´t even know yet that dragons could do such thing- but it made quick work with its claws and teeth on the fleeing orcs.

~o.O.o~

The Company watched speechless the massacre that was being made within a few seconds. They hadn´t even noticed the Orcs, when the dragon was already upon them, snatching them with its strong jaws and crushing their bodies.

The Orcs screeched terrified of the unexpected turn of events and tried to run as the massive beast started to kill them one by one. But no one could simple outrun a dragon, and soon their ripped corpses laid in the snow and black blood was scattered in the area around. And like too often at that day, silence once again remained as the last echos of the Orcs screams fated in the mountains.

After having slaughtered the last Orc, the dragon stood motionless with its back to the Company.

Thorin´s mind was blank. The thoughts from before were forgotten and only terrifying memories remained. Thebeast had killed those Orcs like a wild animal- of course Thorin couldn´t feel any sympathy for them either- but still, to watch this total bloodshed caused by pure rage and a savage mind, showed him enough to know.

It would be saver for everyone if this monster would be dead.

~o.O.o~

For a few precious moments, its thoughts were lost and only the feral being stayed. It didn´t even need to think while it shed blood; killing was instinctual for it.

And that was what it was afraid of.

It did not feel like it was an evil creature, it did not feel like it was meant to kill. But killing came so easy. Its sharp teeth and claws teared skin so easily and its strong massive body crushed others without problems. So was the dragon made to kill? But was a creature made to kill not automatically evil?

"True courage is not about knowing how to take a life, but to spare one." Sounded the voice of a tall person with gray clothes in the dragon´s mind. Gandalf.

It remembered that moment; they stood outside of a Troll´s cave and the wizard had just given it a sword for its defense. Her beloved and loyal sword Sting. But something was different at that time.. she could remember holding Sting in her _hands,_ with nails and fingers, not wings. But dragons don´t have hands!

"We Hobbits are simple creatures, no warriors or heros." It once had told three young dwarves who were curious about her kin.

 _Hobbit._

Bilbo Baggins became conscious of her surroundings and saw with horror what she had done.

But even worse was the state she found herself in. By the goodness, she was a _dragon!_ How did that came to be?

She felt like she was trapped and couldn´t think straight, everything overlapped.

dragon. Dragon. _A Dragon!_ That was not herself! No no NO!

She saw the bloodbath she had created within the last minutes, and could not believe that it was her work. All the blood, and the gruesome bodies..

She needed help. This happened with magic, so magic could also cure her? Maybe Gandalf could help, after all he was a Wizard. He had to know what to do now.

Where was he?

She turned her head with her a _bnormal_ long neck and looked back to where she came from, not even needing to turn her whole body in the process. Absently she wondered how much she could turn her head and neck without moving her new body.

She stopped for a moment- there wasn´t only the Wizard, but the whole Company watching her from afar. And the looks on their faces spoke volumes.

Their postures and expressions were grim. Even those of younger dwarves, Bilbo sadly noticed; the once so innocent and shy Ori stood now together with his brothers, keeping a firm grip on a hammer he found somewhere within the battle, ready to fight. The other dwarves looked just as well ready to face a collide they wouldn´t survive. Dwalin and Thorin build the front of the group, Dwalin fully ready to attack on command, ax held tight and face determined, Thorin more hesitant, holding no weapon, but a uncommon glittering in his eyes and his posture clearly showing that he was completely back to his role as leader. He watched every movement of the dragon, calculating, while his companions waited for his decision.

Once more it was proved how strong the bonds within the group have grown over the past months, in the beginning they just have been an group of mercenaries, manual worker, warriors and royal progeny, now they were all one force, one power, a family fighting together for their goal. Even though, there were still disputes sometimes and disagreements, they could always trust each other and would never betray or deceive The Company.

Only Bilbo did.

She shook herself from those thoughts, there would be other times to deal with her guilt, and searched for the Wizard, which was not really a hard task. He stood a few steps aside, silent and omniscient, like he could read her mind.

Bilbo slowly moved toward The Company, she still was not used to walk in this form and it was difficult to sort the new motion of her limbs out. As she stumbling made her way, she kept eye contact with Gandalf, not willing to look into the eyes of her friends and certainly not into _his_ eyes.

So she didn´t noticed how the dwarves tensed with every of her steps, how they gripped their weapons even more firmly, or how their faces looked even more determined. She did not consider they could not see _her_ , that they didn´t even know it was her, that they did not realize it was her under a dragon´s skin. But they only saw the dragon.

It took her by great surprise when Thorin suddenly shouted "Baruk Khazâd!" and all dwarves joined his shout, starting to run- _into her direction!_ \- with raised weapons, despise Gandalf´s calls.

Oh. They were aiming for her!

They were attacking her!

By Yavanna what was she going to do? She was conscious of her now much bigger and stronger body, she just saw in the case of the orcs what she was capable of. Dwarves wouldn´t be any difference.

But she never could. She _never_ could hurt someone innocent. And these were not any dwarves, these were her _friends, they were her family_. A cold shiver ran through her body at the thought of ever hurting one of them. She would rather die.

The dwarves had covered half of the distance now and gained at speed, their war cries sounding determined.

Helpless, Bilbo looked at Gandalf. The wizard was still standing where he was, not moving, only observing. He seemed to hold back. They made eye contact and Gandalf´s eyes held regret and seemed to foreshadow a bad ending in this.

This made Bilbo even more uneasy, fear stabbed her heart- her friends were truly attacking her. Before she could think any further, did she had to jump out of the way, just before an ax could collide with her wing. She knew out of instinct that the skin on her wings was more vulnerable than on her torso and that she needed to always protect it carefully, if it should never be ripped.

She made a startled grunt, not able to speak in this shape, and was suddenly surrounded by her friends, who were roaring at her and fidget with their weapons. They had created a circle around her, keeping a little distance for safety, but still close enough to strike if the chance was offered.

Dwalin was the most bolt, jumping forward almost frequently and swinging his ax with aim at the dragon. The others followed suit, there blades always only missing inches away. Bilbo did her best to avoid any contact, she circled around while trying not to hid anyone with her tail. But the dwarves were grim and slowly closed in, and panic started to creep through Bilbo´s body.

She could feel her mind slipping, it was like it was pushed aside by another force. This force was created by instincts and primitive thoughts, triggered by fear and the threat of her life; she was fading again, back into the unknowing state she has been in when she first woke in dragon shape.

Now she started to panic for a whole new reason- if she slipped back into that state, she knew she wouldn´t be able to stop herself from attacking her friends. This must not happen.

She tried to call their names, but only grunts and growls escaped her throat. She wipped her head around and caught sight of Thorin. He was positioned between Dwalin and his nephews and swirled a short sword he has been given by one of the other dwarves.

She tried to catch his eyes and built the connection they have developed on the journey, in which they understood each other without the need of words, but his eyes were steel and he could not see through the dragon to his Hobbit.

A swing hid her leg, and automatically Bilbo awaited the pain, but the blade only bounced off and judging by the curse it was Gloin with his ax. Another swing met with the upper part of her tail, but again it simply bounced off.

The dwarves became furious, their swings became more hectic as they saw how useless their weapons were against the beast.

Thorin roared again something in Khuzdul, probably something like "Keep going!".

The situation reminded Bilbo a lot of Durin´s Day, when they searched for the hidden door in the fainting sunlight and her friends started to hid the stone wall with their blades, desperate to just find that door.

Their movements resembled those from Durin´s Day as they weren´t clearly aiming anymore, but just swinging their blades in the hope to do some damage and Bilbo feared they would rather hurt themselves in the progress.

She kept avoiding as much contact as possible, but the space had drastic narrowed and there wasn´t much room for movement anymore. She stepped right- a sword was swung. She took a step back- an ax was in her way. Her panic was getting stronger and so did the urge to just wipe her long tail and knock her attackers off.

Bilbo twisted her head around. She needed to keep an overview, but it was nearly impossible by now. Everything was a swirling mess of dwarves and weapons. Than she came face to face with Thorin.

It felt like her heart broke.

His eyes were filled with hate, a hate he never, _NEVER_ , would have shown to any person he cared for. His teeth were barred into a snarl. His face twisted with rage.

It was prove enough. He truly didn´t know who she was.

And Bilbo knew it was not _her_ he turned his anger against, but still it hurt.

She wanted to get away. Just escape those cold eyes, the noise and the chaos. Out.

Before she knew it, she heard an _urgpf!_ and realized that she had flicked her tail and send one dwarf flying. It hit Dwalin who went flying for a few feet before he landed with crash in the snow. Nori, Oin and Balin turned and checked if he was injured, but he quickly set up and stumbled back onto his feet. _Thanks Yavanna!_

The other dwarves kept the fight up, now that the beast had started to fight back they needed to end this fast. Thorin knew their time was running out, if this is not going to end soon the beast will gather itself and strike them down. This would not happen, not again would his people perish because of one of those worms.

Finally he saw an opening in its defense and lashed out. The beast went still. Even though Thorin used all his strength only the tip of his sword pierced through a gap between the scales on the dragon´s chest.

But nonetheless it was a breakthrough and the creature seemed to be paralyzed for a moment. He took that chance and swung his sword again, this time aiming for its throat, as he was sure the skin there would be more vulnerable. If the hit would be correctly, Thorin could end this right now.

But he didin´t come so far.

A flash of white light and a wave of air pushed them all from their feet. Even Bilbo could feel the force running over her frame, though it did not knock her off her feet as it did with the dwarves.

For a moment she was blinded by the light and closed her eyes. Than she felt a gentle hand on her neck.

She tilted her head and looked at Gandalf, who was standing now next to her, one hand on his (or rather Radagast´s) staff, the other on her neck to catch her attention.

While the dwarves around them groaned and slowly started to rise again, the hobbit (dragon for the moment) and the wizard looked into each other´s eyes. One´s filled with fear and helplessness, the other´s with regret and sorrow. They didn´t need to speak, for now they understood each other without words. Gandalf only said one word:

"Fly."

And so did Bilbo. She gathered her wings and started to flap them with effort. She could feel the wind collecting under them and pushed, with one last look at her dear old friend, off of the ground. She rose for a few meters and watched as her dwarven friends stood up and cursed, as they whirled their blades into her direction high in the sky.

She started to float away, but before the dwarves could follow her, were they stopped by the wizard. She could see Thorin stalking over to him, most likely demanding to know what he in Mahal´s name was doing, but than she turned her head away, not able to bear the king´s angry sight anymore.

Bilbo focused on her flight. She slowly but surely got a feeling for this and felt more familiar with the winds by the second. But one thought occurred her: Where could she go?

Should she go back to the mountain? She could, but what than? She was sure she wouldn´t welcomed there, at least not as long as she was in this shape.

Another horrid idea gripped her- what if she would never change back? What if she was doomed to stay a dragon for the rest of her life?!

NO! Please! This just couldn´t be! That could not be her fate!

" _You only need to accept the conditions on your own free will. You only need to be the vessel. Than all those dreams of yours can become reality, they can be real."_

But this was not what she has been dreaming of! Oh, stupid! Stupid! Bilbo should have known it was a trick, she should have nether agreed!

" _You want to save your friends, do you not? More than anything also in the world?Because they give you the feeling of home, the feeling of belonging?"_

...Yes, they did. They were her home and family. And that´s why she had to save them, because they gave her so much and deserved even more.

Very well.

If it was her fate to be from now on a dragon, so be it. But she would need a place where she could live peacefully, as Bilbo was sure a dragon had many enemies. She couldn´t stay here, her friends could never accept her like this. Bilbo ignored the deep, deep pain this thought gave her and turned her head to the west.

She knew one place where no big enemies would await her and where she could get used to the life as dragon without disturbance.

With one last look and goodbye towards her beloved ones, she turned to the west.


End file.
